Five goals every eventer should set for next season

Five goals every eventer should set for next season

The 2017 competition season has come to a close for most eventers in the world. Although the off-season has just begun, it is already time to start planning for next year. Getting a head start on planning for 2018 will help you enter the year prepared and will give you something to look forward to during these cold and eventless months. Consider these goals for 2018 and start figuring out how to achieve them:

5) Volunteer at an event at least once. Volunteering at events is a great way to give back to our sport and it can also benefit your riding. Attending an event without a horse will give you more time to observe what is happening around you. Check out the article below learn more about the benefits of volunteering.

4) Take a lesson with the coach you have always dreamt of riding with. Sometimes riders are intimidated by big name trainers and too nervous to try to book a lesson with them. Most coaches are open to taking on students at a variety of levels if they are willing to learn. Popular coaches might be harder to book a lesson with or a bit more expensive but you can learn a lot from them. Put your trepidations aside and contact the coach who you would love to take a lesson with, you have nothing to lose. Worst case scenario is that they say no to your lesson request (which is super unlikely!). Life is too short to not ride with that coach you have always admired.

3) Compete at a new event. Competing at a new and potentially out of state/province event can seem a little daunting. But branching out and riding at a new event can be a very fun and rewarding experience. There are so many events out there and all of them have something that makes them special. Don’t limit yourself to competing at the same few events year after year. This article includes tips on how to plan a trip to a new event and how it can help your riding career.

2) Don’t go off course in any of the three phases all year. There’s no dumber way to lose a top placing or get an elimination than by forgetting where you are going. With one dressage test, a show jumping course and a cross-country track to remember, it can be easy to get lost in one of the phases. But if you work really hard to learn your courses at every single event, you can make it an entire year without sabotaging yourself with your bad memory. Follow these straightforward tips to ensure you make this goal an accomplishment next year…

1) Win an event at ANY level. This might seem like an obvious goal but winning an event can be a real challenge. However, if you are able to pull off a win it will be great for your self-confidence and your supporters will really love it. The best way to win an event is by not over-facing yourself and/or your horse. That means don’t compete at a level that is beyond or at the top of your capabilities. Odds are if you cannot win at the level you are at currently, you won’t be any more successful if you upgrade. I’m not suggesting you downgrade or head to the event with the fewest competitors. What you really need to do is work on perfecting your riding in all three phases and being comfortable enough to deliver your top performance in the show ring. Assess why you did not win any events this season. Or if you did win some events, look at what you did right at those competitions. Start working this off-season on improving your own and your horse’s weak areas. Become a perfectionist and wins will be your reward next season!!!